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This is how the legacy menu button appears on the new HTC devices

Mar 01 2012 09:00 AM | PaulOBrien in Android

Since we posted our preview of the new HTC One devices, there has been some discussion about how the 'legacy' menu button is presented to the user. The new HTC devices feature a button combination we haven't seen before - they don't use the ICS on screen virtual buttons nor do they use a conventional hardware button layout with the menu button, instead opting for a new 3 button layout with with back, home and recent apps keys.

Well, courtesy of our contact at HTC, we now have a screenshot demonstrating a legacy app in action, which you can see below. In a nutshell, the button bar we are used to seeing on the Galaxy Nexus appears only when using an app with a legacy menu button (of which there are still many) and contains only one button, that menu button. Looks kinda weird no? I suspect this is an area where ROM developers can tweak the behaviour - I think i'd prefer to lose that bar and have the 'recent apps' hardware button either activate the menu on a long press or the menu on a short press and the recent apps on a long press... i'll have a play when I get a device.

What are your thoughts? The best solution or HTC could do better?

About the author

Paul O'Brien founded MoDaCo in 2002 as a site focused on Windows Smartphones and has grown it since then by concentrating on providing a friendly community for both experienced and beginner mobile enthusiasts.

8 Comments

unfnknblvbl
Mar 01 2012 09:33 AM

That's terrible. HTC should have had a menu softkey with multitasking being left on a long-press of Home.

unfun
Mar 01 2012 09:34 AM

so where are the settings in non legacy apps now?

Zarch1972
Mar 01 2012 09:35 AM

I take it this is the "sense" solution? Any non-sense ASOP custom ROM will have to come up with something along the lines of your "long press" suggestion I imagine?

Rocky7
Mar 01 2012 10:07 AM

Its a little clunky and I prefer the no buttons approach on the GNex but it could be a lot worse and you only lose the screen estate you would be losing all the time on the GNex.

I does stop mods like the MCR Search button which is a shame.

Karucifer
Mar 01 2012 10:10 AM

As if I needed any more reason to not want my next phone to be an HTC device.

Fixed battery (eww!) sense (still eww!) and the button implementation is even more broken than I'd first thought.

The Galaxy Nexus sold me on the idea of virtual buttons, HTC just reinforced that :-)

robmarms
Mar 01 2012 02:58 PM

Ugh, This phone could be so beautiful. There are rumors of it becoming the G3X or whatever on T-Mobile. I had the G1 and now the G2... I could give up the keyboard... I could give up the trackpad (sadly).... but really HTC?!? The menu button?!? I am certain I use the menu button more than I would use the recent apps button.

Urban Strata
Mar 02 2012 12:53 AM

Guys, keep in mind this is a TEMPORARY solution. Google is working hard to get developers to implement the new on-screen menu button. Sure, there will be some transition time while older apps catch up to the new UI paradigm, but before long neither hardware buttons nor temporary solutions will be necessary.

This is called progress, folks. There has to be some transition time to get to where we're going.

Zarch1972
Mar 02 2012 08:04 AM

Fair comment Urban Strata, things will eventually change....... but i'm finding with a screen real estate as large as the Galaxy Nexus, having to jump upto top-right for settings/menu isn't natural and makes it difficult to use the device one-handed..... my thumb just doesn't reach that far!! :blink:

I appreciate this long term change also affects tablets, but on a phone I much prefer the soft-key menu button from Paul's ROM in the bottom bar. (and having all the buttons at the bottom, thumb-accessible)

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